Penn State University Libraries - Penn State University Libraries - User Privacy

Statement of Principle

The Penn State University Libraries affirms that our users’ privacy is essential to the intellectual and academic mission of the University and is committed to respecting user privacy in compliance with all federal and state laws and professional standards of confidentiality.  The Libraries will not release confidential information about individual users unless compelled by court order, subpoena or federal law.

Library Borrower Records

All records of materials borrowed, resources consulted and services provided by the Library are considered confidential and will not be released without permission unless required by law.  The library will maintain account information, such as borrowers’ home, campus and email addresses, University IDs or library card numbers and transactional information such as interlibrary loan requests and lists of current checkouts and fees.  The Libraries does not maintain histories or cumulative lists of materials checked-out and returned by borrowers.  Account information for inactive borrowers is regularly purged from the Library database.

Computer and Internet Use

Computers and internet connections are provided to promote information access. All records and logs of individual user traffic, such as searches and sites visited, are considered confidential and will not be released unless required by law.   The Library reserves the right to inspect individual usage records if necessary to resolve problems with access or to investigate unauthorized activities such as transmitting offensive, obscene or harassing materials, violations of copyright or misuses of system resources.  The Libraries also collects and analyzes usage statistics of licensed commercial online resources to assess the impact of specific technologies and services.  

The Library supports and complies with the following:

American Library Association’s Code of Ethics -

http://www.lita.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/statementspols/codeofethics/codeethics.cfm

PENNSYLVANIA STATUTES TITLE 24. EDUCATION CHAPTER 16. LIBRARIES ARTICLE IV [P.S.] § 4428. Library circulation records –

“Records related to the circulation of library materials which contain the names or other
personally identifying details regarding the users of the State Library or any local library
which is established or maintained under any law of the Commonwealth or the library of
any university, college or educational institution chartered by the Commonwealth or the
library of any public school or branch reading room, deposit station or agency operated in
connection therewith, shall be confidential and shall not be made available to anyone
except by a court order in a criminal proceeding.”